United States Forest Service Firewatch Helicopter in Flight.

A United States Forest Service 'Firewatch' Helicopter approaches the Grass Valley Air Attack Base in California's Sierra Nevada mountains. The USFS "Firewatch" helicopter is based on a demilitirized Army Cobra gunship with the chin gun removed and replaced with a forward looking infrared thermal imaging system that allows the crew to send images to the command center to show where a forest fire's hot spots are. In addition the thermal imaging system the aircraft is also equipped...more »

A United States Forest Service 'Firewatch' Helicopter approaches the Grass Valley Air Attack Base in California's Sierra Nevada mountains. The USFS "Firewatch" helicopter is based on a demilitirized Army Cobra gunship with the chin gun removed and replaced with a forward looking infrared thermal imaging system that allows the crew to send images to the command center to show where a forest fire's hot spots are. In addition the thermal imaging system the aircraft is also equipped with a Traffic Collision and Avoidance System for identifying other aircraft in the vicinity, an onboard computer, geo-locating capabilities to aid in low visibility and microwave for sending live infrared videos back to fire camp at a distance of up to 30 miles. Photographed 07/05« less